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X2002.33.18 Mask
Object Name: Mask
Artist: Sachihongo (royal male)
Cultural Group: Mbunda peoples
Place of Origin: Zambia
Date/Era: Late 19th-20th century
Dimensions: H: 41.0 cm, W: 37.0 cm, D: 17.0 cm (H: 16.1 in, W: 14.6 in, D: 6.7 in)
Medium/Materials: Wood
Credit Line: Museum purchase with funds provided by Jay T. Last.
Accession Number: X2002.33.18
Sachihongo, an exclusively Mbunda character, represents a royal male ancestor who has been described as the incarnation of a powerful hunter, a diviner, and a womanizer. Sachihongo is symbolic of maleness, power, fertility, and wealth. The consecutive arched eyebrows, which double as wrinkles on the forehead, are indicative of a serious or even threatening disposition and are characteristic of most Mbunda masks. In this example, they extend downward broadly around the eyes to define the cheeks and form huge eye sockets.
